Against the Grain is your key to the latest news about libraries, publishers, book jobbers, and subscription agents. Our goal is to link publishers, vendors, and librarians by reporting on the issues, literature, and people that impact the world of books and journals.

In this episode we get to hear Katina Strauch’s
weekly Rumors segment. Following Katina we hear three more articles
from the series “Lets Get Technical” by ATG Column Editors
Stacey Marien (Acquisitions Librarian, American
University Library) and Alayne Mundt (Resource
Description Librarian, American University Library) focusing on
practical problems and solutions in Technical Services
departments.

Let’s Get Technical - A Technical Services Perspective On Taking
On A Shared Retention Project, Part One

Let’s Get Technical - Piloting a DDA Program For Specific
Subjects

This week’s Katina’s Rumors:

It was exciting to learn that the innovatively full of ideas,
Alison Mudditt is leaving UCPress to take up the role of CEO of
PLOS in San Francisco. Alison says this has not been an easy
decision for her. She is still passionate about the critical
mission and role of University of California Press (UC Press), now
more than ever. For the past six years Mudditt served as Director
where she ushered in new strategies to lead the company into the
digital age, including the innovative journal and monograph Open
Access programs Collabra and Luminos. The press has been through an
incredible transformation over the past six years. The result is a
Press that is smart, creative and entrepreneurial, ready for the
continuous cycle of challenge and opportunity that is university
press publishing.

The transformation hasn’t been easy, and over recent months
Alison has decided that it’s time for new and fresh leadership to
guide UCPress through the next phase. Obviously, there is never a
perfect time for this type of transition, but the UC Press is in a
good position, All the hard work of the past years is bearing fruit
since the Press is seeing growth in traditional book and journal
programs as well as rapid growth in new digital ventures. Over the
past six years: not only has revenue grow revenues with consistent
surpluses to reinvest but also wide-scale impact, the most
important measure for any non-profit. Not only does UC’s
award-winning program continue to shine a light on critical issues
that move toward better solutions, but we are now recognized as a
leader and innovator in scholarly publishing.

Alison is looking toward her own new beginning. The opportunity
to lead the ground-breaking PLOS which has spearheaded a revolution
in scientific communication was too tempting. Alison acknowledges
that the OA market has evolved and matured. Her top priority will
be charting what comes next for PLOS – how does it remain true to
its mission and continue to push boundaries? Alison loves the
public advocacy part of her work and is looking forward to
expanding that at PLOS. No wonder PLOS is pleased to announce the
appointment of Alison Mudditt as its Chief Executive Officer,
effective June 19, 2017!

Prior to UC Press, Mudditt was Executive Vice President at SAGE
Publications, Inc., leading publishing programs across books,
journals and digital platforms. Her 25 plus years in the publishing
industry include leadership positions at Blackwell Publishers in
Oxford, UK, and Taylor & Francis Inc., in Philadelphia, US.
Mudditt received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of
Bath and her Masters in Business Administration from The Open
University. Congratulations, Alison! Looking forward to the next
phases!

The Internet Archive was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award
at the 21st annual Webbys, hailed by the New York Times as “one of
the Internet’s highest honors.” The Webby Awards lauded the
Internet Archive for being “the web’s most knowledgeable
historian.”

Perhaps the greatest honor of the evening came in the form of a
video narrated by Open Knowledge champion, Lawrence Lessig. He
said, “Creativity and innovation built on the past. The Internet
Archive is the foundation preserving that past, so that perhaps,
one can at least hope that our children and their children can
shape a future that knows our joys and learns from our many
mistakes.” The award was presented by Nancy Lublin, CEO of the
Crisis Text Line and DoSomething.org, who pointed out that in this
chaotic political year, the Internet Archive has saved “200
terabytes of government data that could have otherwise been lost in
the transition from blue light saber to red light saber.”

The award reads:
Lifetime Achievement: Archive.org for its commitment to making the
world’s knowledge available online and preserving the history of
the Internet itself. With a vast collection of digitized materials
and tools like the Wayback Machine, Archive.org has become a vital
resource not only to catalogue an ever-changing medium, but to
safeguard a free and open Internet for everyone.

And, listen up! Brewster Kahle, the founder and Digital Librarian
of the Internet Archive will be our keynote speaker at the 2017
Charleston Conference and the Conference thanks the indefatigable
Ann Okerson for arranging this!

Got a nice note from the awesome David Worlock via Anthony
Watkinson and Becky Lenzini about the publication of the latest
volume of Liber Quarterly which marks the retirement of Pat Manson
who has made a huge contribution to Library and Information work in
Europe! Congratulations!

I understand that many of the Fiesole Retreat speakers have papers
in the above-referenced issue of Liber Quarterly. I was so sorry to
have to miss Fiesole in Lille which I heard from Leah Hinds and
others was spectacular for content and tourism! There are several
reports on Fiesole Lille in the June print issue of ATG which will
be mailed shortly as well as posted on the ATGnewschannel. Leah’s
report will be posted online shortly as well. Many of the papers
from the Fiesole Retreat are loaded on the Casalini website.

Archives

About the Podcast

The audio supplement to "Against The Grain - Linking Publishers, Vendors and Librarians"
Against the Grain is your key to the latest news about libraries, publishers, book jobbers, and subscription agents. Our goal is to link publishers, vendors, and librarians by reporting on the issues, literature, and people that impact the world of books and journals.